


The Bed

by HuiLian



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU (Comics)
Genre: Bruce Wayne is a Good Dad, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-12
Updated: 2017-09-12
Packaged: 2018-12-26 22:16:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,290
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12068055
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HuiLian/pseuds/HuiLian
Summary: Bruce Wayne's bed has been a staple source of comfort for his children.





	The Bed

**Author's Note:**

> This is for batfamcontentwar on tumblr. This has been on my notebook for months and I thought, why not post this? So enjoy!

Bruce was trying to fill all the forms Lucius gave him that day at WE when a small head peeked into his room.

"B... you still awake?" Dick whispered.

"Yes, Dick. I am still awake," Bruce frowned," Is something bothering you?"

"Not really..." Dick smiled nervously. He switched his weight between his feet and fidgeted with his hands.

Bruce sighed. He was not used to kids. But this, this he knew. He had it too as a child. "Do you have a nightmare?"

"Kind of..." Dick was not meeting Bruce's gaze. He looked as though he wanted to say something else, but couldn't muster up the courage to do it.

Bruce knew this too. When he was a kid, if he had nightmares, he would go to his parents bed and sleep with them. Of course, it stopped after they died. (He never got around to going to Alfred's bed. Bruce didn't know if it was because he stopped fearing nightmares after his parents were murdered in front of him, or if it was because he determined to never rely on anyone again, but he didn't go to Alfred for comfort.)

"Do you want to stay here for the night?" he grunted.

Dick brightened instantly. His eyes snapped up to meet Bruce's gaze and his hands stopped fidgeting. He gave Bruce a huge grin. Sometimes Bruce wondered how this child can have so much brightness in him when his world was already taken away from him.

"Yes! Yes, yes yes!.... If it's alright with you?" Dick said sheepishly.

Bruce immediately softened. Sometimes he forgot that Dick was still a child. He was so competent and professional on the field. But inside the Manor, Dick was still a child. _His_ child. A fierce protectiveness surged inside Bruce.

"Of course it's alright, chum. Come here."

Dick flew into Bruce's bed. His small frame looked miniscule compared to Bruce's huge bed. Dick wiggled a bit, and pulled up the covers until only his head could be seen.

"Are you not sleeping now?" Dick asked. He turned his wide eyes on Bruce, as if begging him to accompany him to sleep. Bruce could not refuse.

"In a minute, chum. I'll just tidy this up. You go ahead and sleep."

Dick was sound asleep by the time Bruce turned off the lights.

***

Bruce was trying to fill all the WE stuff, again (seriously, these forms are never-ending), when he heard footsteps outside his door. Alfred has gone to bed, Dick ~~has left him~~ was not home, so that left only one person. Jason.

Bruce was at lost with Jason. He was not like Dick, open with his emotions. He tended to draw in and didn't want to confide in Bruce. But, if he was outside Bruce's door at this time of the night, that can only mean one thing.

"Jay, lad, is that you?" Bruce called from his seat. He didn't want to spook Jason by simply inviting him to come in. Jason had to be coaxed gently to open himself up. (He's aware that he's being hypocritical. He has never wanted to open up, and he probably will never want that.)

A sound of an object breaking and a muffled curse later, Jason opened Bruce's door. He immediately glared at Bruce. Ah, another thing about Jason. He tended to cover himself with anger. Bruce waited for Jason to say anything. Jason stayed silent. Bruce sighed.

"Why are you still up, Jay? It's past your bedtime already."

"I'll stay up if I want to, old man. You can't force me to go to sleep," Jason gritted out.

Bruce sighed again. He seemed to be doing that a lot, lately. He decided to just be blunt. "Do you have a nightmare?"

"No!" Jason quickly replied.

"Do you want to stay here for the night?" Bruce asked again patiently.

"No,... I mean yes.... I mean no..."

Bruce waited for Jason to finish stuttering. He was confident that the answer's going to be yes. After all, he had once done it, Dick had done it, so, Jason would do it too, right?

"Yes, please. If it's not a bother?"

Bruce simply nodded and turned to tidy his papers. Jason was already sleeping in his bed when he turned around.

***

Tim never came to Bruce for a nightmare. Why would he? Bruce was not Tim's father and he wasn't exactly a comforting figure for Tim. So, Bruce was particularly surprised when he find Tim on his bed, asleep. (He has never seen Tim so unguarded. Normally, Tim will always be on his guard with Bruce. Normally, Tim will always strive to be perfect with Bruce.)

"Tim, Tim, wake up."

"Hhnn? Bruce? You're back?"

"Yes."  
"Oh, okay. Sorry, I'll leave." Tim started to rise from the bed.

Bruce was filled with indecision. On one hand, he was not Tim's father. But on the other hand, Tim looked like he needed the rest and Bruce has reason to believe Tim wouldn't be sleeping if he left Bruce's room.

"No. You don't have to leave, Tim. Go back to sleep."

"Are you sure, Bruce?" Tim yawned.

"Yes. Go back to sleep, Tim. I'll join you after I finished changing my clothes."

"Okay. Good night, Bruce."

If Bruce spent a few more minutes just watching Tim slept, nobody has to know.

***

Cassandra was different. Cassandra was his daughter. They did not need words to communicate. Bruce knew what Cassandra meant and Cassandra could read Bruce easily enough.

Cassandra could also be very quiet when she wanted to be.

Bruce woke up to the feeling of eyes watching him. Decades of being vigilant even in sleep woke him when someone was watching him. He looked around, trying to determined who was watching him. He saw Cassandra, perching on his desk, watching him intently.

With Cassandra, Bruce did not speak. He did not need to. He simply shifted, creating a space for his daughter on his bed. Then he tilted his head and waited expectantly.

Cassandra continued watching him for another moment, before abandoning her perch and climbing onto Bruce's bed. She was hesitant at first, but after analizing Bruce and reading that he wouldn't be mad, Cass put her arms around Bruce.

They slept like that until morning.

***

Damian never got to go to his father's bed before Bruce died. After Bruce returned, Damian was not yet comfortable enough with Bruce to go to him because of a nightmare. He went to Dick for that. (Sometimes Bruce was jealous of Dick for being so comfortable with Damian. Sometimes Bruce was grateful that Dick was there for Damian.)

However, after Damian himself died and returned, he went to Bruce for the first time. (Of course. He couldn't go to Dick. He thought that Dick was dead. Bruce felt another pang of guilt.)

"Father?"

"Yes, Damian."

Damian then simply stared at Bruce. He was at lost at what to do. He was not alone. Bruce was at lost too.

Damian was not like Dick, Jason, Tim, or Cassandra. He was brash and proud, but can be soft and compassionate too. Bruce never know what to do with him.

Then Damian started to leave the room. Bruce cannot have that. He decided to act rashly for once.

"Come here, Damian."

Damian stopped where he was. Then he turned around.

"Come here."

Damian stepped hesitantly towards Bruce's bed. Bruce opened the covers and moved to make some space for him. During the whole time, Damian's eyes never left Bruce.

After Damian had laid down on the bed, Bruce laid back down and closed his eyes. "Goodnight, Damian."

"Goodnight, Father."

Damian would deny it, Bruce was sure, but Bruce could swear he felt hands on him the entire night.

**Author's Note:**

> Check out my tumblr. (huilian.tumblr.com)


End file.
